Furthermore, 57% said they’re excited about the future of wearable technology as part of everyday life. In order for the full power of these devices to be realized, however, it is important to ensure that latency isn’t a problem.

The Latency Problem with Internet of Things (IoT) Devices

The challenge with IoT devices is that they run on batteries. This makes them convenient…no one wants to be tethered by a cord. But it also brings challenges. In order to preserve the lifespan of batteries, IoT devices systematically wake up from sleep mode to retrieve new information. The longer the device is asleep, the less power it consumes. This also means that there are fewer opportunities for information to be exchanged. This impacts the performance of the device, causing it to run slower (known as latency).

In today’s devices, low power consumption and low latency are in conflict with one another. Because of the advent of Internet of Things technologies, however, finding a low-power, low-latency solution is of the utmost importance.

The Most Viable Solutions to Latency

There is a great deal of research going on right now in the low-latency low-power field, with two dominant solutions emerging: Wake-Up Radio (created by IEEE 802.11ba standards working group) and Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth Smart). In this context it’s worth noting that Bluetooth Low Energy is not the same as the Bluetooth prevalent in today’s consumer devices. Rather, it’s a new technology needs to be included in devices moving forward in order to take advantage of Bluetooth Low Energy.

Internet of Things device manufacturers must be cognizant of their options when it comes to these technologies. If your company is considering Internet of Things devices, it’s essential that you understand how Wake-Up Radio works, and how it may impact your products and your business, especially if the device will run on IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi®).

Based on work of the IEEE 802.11ba standards task group, the IEEE Technology Report on Wake-Up Radio highlights current and projected developments in this groundbreaking technology that allows devices to achieve low power and low latency at the same time, greatly reducing the frequent recharging or replacement of batteries. This report is especially useful for helping manufacturers analyze and prepare for the implementation of Wake-Up Radio when the standard is finalized within the next 2-3 years.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has the potential to revolutionize industry. With use cases that promise to increase capacity and efficiency while lowering costs, IIoT technology is a smart investment that pays off quickly.

Some of the use cases that hold huge potential include predictive maintenance, which helps keep assets up and running, avoiding downtime and costly routine maintenance when it isn’t warranted. (Tracy, 2017) The safety of industrial spaces improves as sensors provide alerts about unsafe conditions. Assets can be tracked easily, making it easier to locate and move goods efficiently while monitoring inventory. Fleets can be deployed efficiently where they are needed, reducing overall resource consumption while maximizing impact. In short, IIoT devices and sensors can make it easier and more efficient to do business, creating safer, more productive environments.

IIoT devices and sensors often need to function in hostile environments, however, and can be expected to work 24/7. They are tucked away in hard-to-reach places and are increasingly smaller. Environmental conditions around the device or sensor can be very hot or cold, and sometimes humid or dusty. For example, machines may reach 150°C in a plastic packaging plant, or have to withstand freezing temperatures near a pipeline in Alaska. (Pasero, 2017) It is much more feasible to have devices that run on batteries, and those batteries need to last as long as possible. The challenge is that, while IIoT devices and sensors are often designed to last for 10-15 years, their batteries only last 2-3 years. Given that the IIoT market is expected to grow to 75.4 billion devices by 2025, that’s a lot of batteries that need charging and replacement. (Columbus, 2016)

Fortunately, there is a solution that can help to extend battery life in the Industrial Internet of Things. IEEE has just released the IEEE Technology Report on Wake-Up Radio. This technology, under development right now by the IEEE 802.11ba standards working group, can increase the battery life of an IIoT device by up to 94%. This can add years to the life of a battery, and in turn an Internet of Things device. The duty-cycled IEEE Wake-Up Radio is added to the device, which only wakes up the device when it is needed. By maintaining a longer sleep state, the battery lasts longer. The result is cost savings, improved efficiency, and longer device life.

The Industrial Internet of Things will continue to grow because it brings such powerful return on investment. But powering the Industrial Internet of Things must be planned for, in order to reap all of the benefits this technology can provide. IIoT device manufacturers need to plan now to integrate IEEE Wake-Up Radio into their devices, and the IEEE Technology Report has the information organizations need to gain this competitive advantage.

Internet of Things (IoT) devices will have significant environmental impact, both positive and negative. The IoT environmental impact is important to consider.

On the positive side, IoT devices can provide significant energy savings by, for example, turning on streetlights only when they’re needed or alerting water processing plants when there is a leak, saving precious natural resources.

Negative IoT Environmental Impact

There’s a dark side, though. For one thing, IoT devices will produce and send a significant amount of data. All that data will require energy as it passes through the network. On top of that, many of these devices will run on batteries. The more frequently batteries need to be replaced, the more batteries end up in landfills. Billions of “things” mean billions of batteries, which can cause a growing problem as our appetite for the IoT grows.

While we must consider a multi-faceted approach to offsetting the negative IoT environmental impact, one thing is clear: the less power an IoT device uses, the longer the battery lasts, and the better it is for the environment. IEEE Wake-Up Radio will allow IoT devices to use significantly less power, extending battery life from months to years. This reduces the number of batteries that wind up each year in landfills. And that makes a difference in the IoT environmental impact.

What is IEEE Wake-Up Radio?

Designed to work with IEEE 802.11 wireless networks, the IEEE Wake-Up Radio standard that is being developed by the 802.11ba standards task group will place a small, additional low power radio in IoT devices that will tell the main radio when it is needed. Only then does the main radio “wake-up” and use power. This solution significantly increases battery life.

With planning and strategic thinking, the energy savings of IoT devices will offset the negative environmental impact. IEEE Wake-Up Radio is one part of that strategy. IoT device manufacturers need to start planning now for their next generation IoT devices to offset environmental impact while creating a positive user experience.

The IEEE Technology Report on Wake-Up Radio, released on 1 November, 2017, and available now for pre-order, provides information on this technology in development by the IEEE 802.11ba standards task group. Every IoT device manufacturer needs to be aware of, and prepare for, this technology.

Analyst firm Gartner predicts that there will be 8.4 billion connected “things” in 2017, which will then expand to 20.4 billion Internet of Things (IOT) devices by 2020. That number is staggering. And it is reasonable to expect that a great many of these devices will run on batteries. Yet battery life can be limited. How do we make IoT batteries last longer?

Consider the use cases:

Wearable medical devices that cannot be hard wired

Logistics sensors on vehicles, moving from place to place

Agricultural IoT devices in the middle of fields

Smart home consumer devices that are easier to install without hardwiring, increasing market adoption

…and these are just a few instances of the many IoT use cases that will require battery operated devices. Given the sheer number of devices, it is essential that IoT manufacturers create devices that have a long battery life while maintaining optimal performance. We must make IoT batteries last longer.

This is why the IEEE 802.11ba standards working group is developing the IEEE Wake-Up Radio standard. This technology has the potential to increase battery life in IoT devices from months to years. When you consider the cost of replacing 20.4 billion batteries (both the batteries themselves, as well as the time involved), this will have significant economic impact.

How it Works

IoT devices have an embedded radio that has to “wake up” in order for data to be transmitted. The longer the device is awake, the more power it consumes, but the higher the performance. To solve the power issue, a 2nd, low-power, duty-cycled Wake-Up Radio is added to the device that waits for transmissions. This Wake-Up Radio only wakes up the main device when it is needs to, allowing a longer device sleep state without compromising performance. Ensuring that the Wake-Up Radio uses duty cycling increases the battery life even more.

The result is a high-performance IoT device that last for years rather than months on a single battery.

The impact is clear. IoT devices that will run on IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi®) connections need IEEE Wake-Up Radio. Device manufacturers need this information now, in order to build this into their IoT devices of tomorrow.

IEEE Technology Report on Wake-Up Radio

To help IoT device manufacturers prepare for IEEE Wake-Up Radio even before the standard is released, IEEE is offering a technology report that outlines the technology, use cases, and more. The report will be released on 2 November, 2017, and is available for pre-sale now. Device manufacturers that begin planning for IEEE Wake-Up Radio now will have a competitive advantage, especially in consumer categories where IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi®) connections are ubiquitous. They will be able to make IoT batteries last longer in their devices.

Increasing battery life in IoT devices is essential. When it comes to devices that run on IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi®) connections, IEEE Wake-Up Radio is the solution. Pre-order the IEEE Technology Report on Wake-Up Radio now, and prepare your organization for a competitive advantage in the future.

According to a 2017 report by Markets and Markets, the Internet of Things (IoT) healthcare market is projected to reach $158.07 billion by 2022. As IoT devices revolutionize the medical landscape and provide numerous benefits to our long-term health, making sure these devices work reliably and efficiently is crucial. Below are three ways low-power low-latency healthcare IoT devices will impact the industry:

Preserving clinical data: The healthcare industry can now collect, transfer, store, and display a variety of clinical data on cloud-based platforms using connected IoT devices (Lars, n. d.). Some devices even come with analytical software to display trends of the data collected automatically (thanks to wearables), so patients can see how their decisions are impacting aspects of their health over time (Al-Siddiq, 2016). Such information helps motivate patients to be more proactive and can inform health professionals ahead of time before conditions worsen (Al-Siddiq, 2016). In order for these IoT devices to operate consistently and preserve clinical data, however, they will need low-power, low-latency characteristics.

Facilitating automated treatment devices: Many automated medical devices are now equipped to provide verbal training about a procedure and reminders of when users should take prescribed medication, check blood pressure, or exercise (Lars, n. d.). Ensuring that patients take better care of themselves at home will help considerably with their long-term health. According to Christopher (2016), “Health tech’s biggest advocates believe efficient remote health could dramatically cut down on the necessity for routine reviews and checkups.” Employing low-power, low-latency IoT devices will help facilitate efficient remote health with little power consumption.

Making more reliable wearables: The wearables market is flourishing in general, but in healthcare it is playing an even more prominent role. According to Patrick (2016), “today’s patients can use wearable medical devices to monitor and take charge of their own health.” For example, smart glucose monitors can provide provide continuous blood-sugar monitoring for those with diabetes, the elderly can wear a device that can detect if they have fallen and transmit GPS coordinates to loved ones, and other wearables can help people track and maintain active lifestyles to assist in the prevention of future diseases (Patrick, 2016). In all of these cases, ensuring that devices operate efficiently without the need for frequent re-charging or replacement of batteries is paramount.

The Internet of Things is shaping a modern healthcare industry in plenty of other ways too. Simply put, low-power low-latency healthcare IoT devices will have a life-changing impact on healthcare IoT. Wake-Up Radio from IEEE 802.11ba standards task group provides such a low-power, low-latency solution for IoT devices developed for the healthcare industry.

You can read more about Wake-Up Radio and how to utilize this technology with IoT devices your organization develops in the IEEE Technology Report on Wake-Up Radio: An Application, Market, and Technology Impact Analysis of Low-Power/Low-Latency 802.11 Wireless LAN Interfaces, coming in November. Pre-order now!

To see an infographic illustrating the evolution of healthcare technology and the Internet of Things, click here.

Innovators, businesses, and consumers alike are eagerly catching the Internet of Things (IoT) wave as it gains momentum and magnitude. The technology that will continue to power this wave of connected devices remains debatable, however, as there are a number of power players contending for the spotlight in the low power Internet of Things space. Below are several big names that have emerged thus far:

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE): BLE (a.k.a. Bluetooth Smart) is the low-power version of its parent Bluetooth standard, which has often been considered a leader in the short-range wireless audio market (Frenzel, 2017). Combining different radio and technical techniques along with low-power sleep modes and low duty cycles allow BLE to reduce power consumption and extend the battery life on a coin cell for years (Frenzel, 2012).

Wi-Fi® and Wake-Up Radio (WUR): Wi-Fi® is also a major short-range option widely used today, but the original standard versions alone may not be optimal choices for the Internet of Things (IoT) because “power consumption is generally high and its available data rate goes far beyond what’s needed for most applications” (Frenzel, 2017). White-Fi (a.k.a. 802.11af) and HaLow (a.k.a 802.11 ah) are both good options for long-range uses though. Wake-Up Radio, currently in development from the IEEE 802.11ba standards task group, is a groundbreaking solution for the Wi-Fi® power consumption dilemma, designed to preserve efficiency while consuming little power.

5G: According to a 2017 Ericsson Mobility Report, 5G is projected to transmit data approximately 10 times faster than 4G LTE in the long-range cellular network (Shields, 2017). Such a change will reduce low latency, i.e. allow devices to quickly process and transmit large amounts of data, thereby increasing efficiency (Shields, 2017). Agwani (2017) calls 5G a “catchall for the next generation(s) of cellular networks” because it will be “ultra-reliable” and it will “enable real-time low-energy, low-bit-rate, seamless connectivity for billions of new IoT devices.”

LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network): Called LoRa for short, this specification from LoRa Alliance “is designed for long-range, low-power operation with sensors and controls that work off batteries or energy-harvesting devices” (Wong, 2017). It has a wide breadth of applications, spanning from the logistics industry to smart infrastructure and agriculture, and it is particularly beneficial for buildings because its range can penetrate barriers like walls (Wong, 2017). The only downside is that LoRa does not operate quickly, topping out at 50 kbits/s, but otherwise “LoRa fills a gap between LANs* like Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Wi-Fi and wide area networks like cellular” (Wong, 2017).

*LANs: Local Area Networks

These power players are only a few among numerous low power Internet of Things connectivity options that vary along the wireless range. With a growing number of IoT devices entering our personal and professional lives, utilizing a low-power option will be increasingly crucial.

Are you interested in learning more about Wake-Up Radio and how to utilize this technology with IoT devices in your organization? Check out the IEEE Technology Report on Wake-Up Radio: An Application, Market, and Technology Impact Analysis of Low-Power/Low-Latency 802.11 Wireless LAN Interfaces coming this November. Pre-order now!